Law Enforcement Killings Nearly Double in 2014: FBI

The number of on-duty U.S. law enforcement officers killed as a result of criminal acts nearly doubled in 2014 after a historically low number the year before, NBC News reported.

Fifty-one law enforcement officers were killed "as a result of felonious acts" in 2014, according to statistics released Monday by the FBI. In 2013, 27 officers were killed due to an act of violence, previously released statistics showed. But on average, 56 officers are killed each year, according to the most recent five-year average compiled in 2010,according to the FBI.

Officer killings were thrust into the spotlight beginning in 2014 as tensions between citizens and police flared in places like Ferguson, Missouri, Cleveland and New York. The number of officers killed on the job in 2015 won't be released by the FBI until next year.

California, New York, and Texas saw the most officers killed in 2014, with five each. And the month of May and Saturdays proved to be especially deadly for officers, according to the FBI.

Contact Us